Leinster were relieved to leave Lyon with their winning record intact in the European Champions Cup after a nervous end to their win in Stade Matmut de Gerland.

Scott Fardy will not be a hostage to fortune.

Tadhg Furlong wouldn’t usually be of a mind to do much the day after a game.

Leo Cullen vented his anger last week at what he perceived as suggestions in some media outlets that Jonathan Sexton had been ‘dropped’ for the semi-final win over Munster. He need not have bothered as Sexton’s selection for today’s decider was always going to refute such spin.

Johnny Sexton has been recalled to the Leinster team for tomorrow's Guinness Pro14 final against Glasgow at Celtic Park.

Run the rule over the best imports to have featured for the provinces down the years and it makes for a diverse cast of characters.

Leinster’s bid for a record fifth European crown came up short at St James’ Park on Saturday as Saracens reclaimed the Heineken Champions Cup for their third title in four seasons.

A fifth win for Leinster tomorrow will make them the most successful side in the history of the competition.

With question marks hanging over both provinces heading into their respective Champions Cup semi-finals, the likelihood of an all-Irish European final appeared distinctly unlikely in advance of the weekend’s action.

If the Cheetahs thought they might get an easy run out against Leinster during the Six Nations, the South Africans were sadly mistaken.

Let’s put this game into context, writes Donal Lenihan.

Leinster secured their ninth win from 10 Guinness PRO14 Conference B games this season by hammering the Dragons 59-10.

Of the four provinces, Leinster should be the one least in need of imported talent.

Scott Fardy has clearly had it with close shaves.

Munster expect Keith Earls to resume training this week as the province step up preparations for Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final v Racing 92 in Bordeaux.

Nick McCarthy is only 20 games into his senior Leinster career but the St Michael’s and UCD scrum-half has already managed to figure in some of the more unlikely storylines emanating from the club in his short time.

A game badly compromised by the absence of almost two dozen Six Nations stars was rescued by another star turn from Leinster’s James Lowe who continued to entertain long after the final whistle on Saturday afternoon.

Let’s start off by applying some perspective here.

Leo Cullen couldn’t help but cast his mind back to this week two years ago.

If money was all that mattered there wouldn’t be a top-class professional rugby player left in Ireland.

Benetton 10 Leinster 36: Leinster had to wait eight months to see James Lowe touch down on Irish soil after the province announced him as their marquee signing for the season.

Leinster weathered the huge hits and the heavy bruising from Montpellier’s giants on Saturday – but the five points are what will leave the biggest mark after a winning start to their Champions Cup challenge.

LEINSTER 21 - EDINBURGH 13: A late shot of whiskey helped Leinster to a narrow win over Edinburgh with Jamison Gibson-Park’s try coming as last orders were being called at the RDS last night.

Jamison Gibson-Park's 73rd-minute try helped Leinster to seal a victory over Edinburgh in the Guinness PRO14 at the RDS Arena.

Two years ago Scott Fardy was at the pinnacle of rugby; one of 30 players starting the World Cup final in Twickenham.

It took a while in coming, but this was a more than decent start to the new Guinness Pro14 season for Leo Cullen’s Leinster as they emerged deserved winners over the Dragons.

Joe Schmidt decided Rhys Ruddock was the obvious man to be promoted from the ranks earlier this summer when the Lions expedition relieved him of his usual on-field generals for the tour to the USA and Japan.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen says Scott Fardy’s experience will play a crucial role in the development of the academy players at the province. The 32-year-old versatile Brumbies lock will join Leinster after the Super Rugby season ends.

Scott Fardy was faced with a stark choice when the tsunami hit the coast of Japan in March 2011.

Previous World Cups, in soccer and in rugby, have demonstrated the dangers of bigging up teams during the pool stages, but Michael Cheika and the Wallabies have certainly earned the praise.

Australia yesterday lost Michael Hooper, one of their two star opensides, for Saturday’s Pool A encounter with Wales in London, but blindside flanker Scott Fardy doesn’t give the impression of a guy who will lose sleep over the news.

Ireland 15 Australia 32